The present invention relates generally to the field of docking stations for portable media devices. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for effectively gathering and managing on-demand media content at a docking station at enhanced signal strengths for use in a portable media device. The present invention also relates generally to the distribution of on-demand media content over a network between a plurality of docking stations.
In recent years, with advances in media technology, in particular the developments in digital electronics, more and more mobile media devices are being produced. In particular, wireless phones are now capable of many media functions are being produced in large volumes. Consequently, it is more and more likely that media content will increasingly be viewed on portable media devices, rather than personal computers. These new portable media devices will be either new products, such as email readers and Internet radios, or existing products with new features, such as wireless phones with media capabilities (as discussed previously), MP3 players, personal digital assistants (“PDAs”), and the like. The success of all these new portable media devices will depend upon the ability to effectively provide desirable media content to the media user that is interesting and of a quality so that the user does not use a less mobile media device, such as a standard personal computer, to access the content. With regard to effective access to media content, it is highly desirable for users to be able to easily select and receive media content for their portable media devices where the reception must be of a high standard.
As such, there now exists in the marketplace a need for effectively providing the new portable media devices with media content. Currently, media content is, in general, provided to users on memory cards or the like on which the media content is stored. The memory cards storing the media content may be purchased by users of the portable media devices or the users may record content to memory cards for use on their portable media devices using their personal computer and/or other recording device. These methods of obtaining media content, however, either limit the wireless phone user to the media content that is available on pre-recorded memory cards or requires the user to have the knowledge and accessories to access content providers and to record media content to a memory card.
As an alternative to the use of memory cards, portable media devices may be adapted to directly receive media content through television tuners, satellite radio receivers, and the like. However, with mobile type devices, the reception of media content signals may be compromised by the mobility of the mobile media device due to, among other things, signal reception. Additionally, power usage and the ability of the device to contemporaneously receive and manage video content from multiple sources are problems existing in the art. Further, multiple sources of media content exist that a user of a portable media device must connect to and access to download media content.
As well as issues concerning the downloading/uploading/reception of media content by portable devices there is also a trend wherein consumers desire to view (and/or listening to, interacting with, etc.) media content when and where they desire. For example, a typical consumer, instead of waiting until a given broadcast window to watch a desired program, might request the program on-demand, at the time the consumer desires to watch/download the program.
The present invention provides further enhancements to media reception at a base station including this on-demand model of content consumption.